New to the forum. Pictures (DUW)

I've been viewing the fourm for a while and finally thought I'd join. These are my boas, a pair of central americans. The male is the smaller one, looks like a nic to me, but he's a pet store boy so I have no way of knowing for sure. His name's Panda and he's around 3 feet and 15 months old. The female's name is Shay and she's a rescue I got in July. She was being kept in horrible conditions ( home made glass tank that she escaped from multiple times, no hides, no water bowl, no thermometers or hydrometer, just dirt substrate) and had layers of old shed built up when I got her. She was 31 inches when I picked her up, the same size as my male that's 3 months younger, and now she's pushing 4 feet.

Here are some pictures:

Panda at 4 months:
http://i7.tinypic.com/80mcn5x.jpg

Today:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...178_163048.jpg
http://i4.tinypic.com/6ovnjag.jpg
http://i3.tinypic.com/8afqbkn.jpg

Shay:
http://i10.tinypic.com/72png2t.jpg
http://i9.tinypic.com/6uhb779.jpg

Shay on Panda's back:
http://i17.tinypic.com/7wf86c7.jpg

Panda on Shay's back:
http://i2.tinypic.com/8dybaxh.jpg
http://i13.tinypic.com/73ey9vq.jpg
http://i3.tinypic.com/73319qf.jpg

Both:
http://i19.tinypic.com/6ktihbl.jpg

Thanks!
Kayla

Hello and welcome! They are both just stunning :)

They're beautiful. Do you plan to breed?

They look beautiful! And very well loved :D

Some very nice kids you have there! It's always excellent to have another boa friend join... welcome to BP.net :gj:

Thanks everyone :)
I do plan on breeding them in a couple of years, I was just wondering what the recommended breeding age/ weight is for CA boas? I've only really seen info on colombians.

Oh, and just so everyone knows, they are not housed together. Panda's in a 40 gal breeder and Shay's in a 66 gal.

Here's some good information... nothing specifically on CA's, but good stuff: http://riobravoreptiles.com/care_breedingboas.htm

Accepted breeding size varies among the localities of Boa sp. The smallest Boa may deliver young without complication at barely over three feet in length and less than 2KG in mass. Others will be substantially larger. It is our observation that size is not nearly as important a factor as age in Boa maturity. As early as 1979 Neil Ford of UT Tyler produced data showing that live-bearing snakes encounter the same difficulties giving birth at a premature age as do many other animals. Sub-mature snakes of apparent sufficient size to carry young produced fewer viable young and consumed more body reserves than older mothers of similar size. And experience is also a positive factor; more young of comparatively larger mass are born to older experienced mothers. Inducing ovulation in young boas under about age 3 years by feeding heavily is risky and over the course of the project may not yield more viable babies than waiting for full maturity.

Welcome! You have some very pretty babies!

Congrats Kayla, they look great! Best of luck with them :)

Regards,
Bristen.